


Feral Child

by TCIsBestPony



Category: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
Genre: Gen, feral child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-30
Updated: 2014-11-21
Packaged: 2018-02-23 06:03:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2536874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TCIsBestPony/pseuds/TCIsBestPony
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the 17th Century, Adam and Eve come across a disturbing group of young vampires, running a dirty fighting industry. Here they meet a newly changed feral vamp who Eve firmly believes isn't like the rest of them. This is about how Annalette changed from a sweet, loving young woman, to a dangerous, feral vampire out to hunt down those who killed her bestfriend and cahnged her life forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Annalette (Autumn) POV

Sometime during the 17th Century, well, to be precise it was 1655. A very long time ago now. That was when I was changed. It wasn’t like this namby pamby Twilight nonsense, my change was harsh, scary and just down-right dangerous. All I remember beforehand was it was cold. Cold was my friend then.

It all started a good month after my 23rd birthday. I had been walking back home from meeting this gentleman friend. Yes, he was courting me and I was enjoying it. He had insisted on escorting me home, and we, eventually, met half way in him walking me part the way. I wasn’t that far from my home when I heard something come from the bushes next to the pavement. It sounded like a moan of pain then a small cry for help.  
“Hello? Can I help?” I asked, gently pulling the bushes back. Naturally, then, I had no idea how dangerous this simple Samaritan act would turn out to be.   
I dug back the bushes more, trying not to cut myself on some thorns in the process. When my eyes adjusted to the darkness behind, I saw an old man clutching his arm tightly. He turned to me, pain written all over his face.  
“Sir, is there anything I can help with? Assist you to the hospital perhaps?” I asked, moving towards him carefully.  
“Oh my dear, thank you so much” he said shakily.  
“What has happened?” I enquired as I lifted my dress through the bushes. The old man didn’t reply, he just watched me as the bushes closed behind me, a thorn catching on my dress. That’s when his eyes changed and I saw his teeth, those razor sharp teeth. Fear bubbled up inside me but I didn’t run, this man was hurt and needed help, despite his deformities. I resisted my flight instinct and moved forward against my better judgement.  
“Sir? What’s happened?” I pushed.  
“Nothing my dear” he said. I was about to ask why he was clutching his arm but before I could even open my mouth, he pounced onto my, forcing me to fall to the ground. My dress caught in the thorns didn’t help either. I did try to untangle myself but before I knew it, the man was on top of me, growling. I must have banged my head badly as I can’t remember anything after that.   
Before you say anything, that, wasn’t my change. That was just the beginning of my torturous change of lifestyle.  
The old man was, quite clearly, the diversion/retriever. When I came to, I was in a cage, yeah a cage. I had no idea where this cage was but I did know I wasn’t the only one. It was cold, incredibly wet and only barely lit by a few candles. I had a bed of straw behind me but there wasn’t much of it. Not enough to sleep comfortably on. As I looked around, I saw dozens of other cages in two rows. My side had numerous different people in, from women to men of all ages and ethnicities’. I was right on the end of this long train of trapped people, I guessed I was the most recent addition. They were starving. I was certain all of them were. The man beside me was just skin and bones but he had kind eyes still. I smiled at him as we made eye contact. He returned it before shifting up to see me closer.  
“Benjamin” he said in a raspy voice.  
“Annalette” I replied “Where am I?”  
“Hell, I’m sorry to say my lady” he said, leaning against the bars. His dark hair flopping over his eyebrows.  
“What on earth has been going on here?” I asked.  
“You don’t want to know” My initial thought was slave labour, rape, abuse, oh looking back now how I actually wish that. Believe me, at least with that, there would have been an end. Eventually.   
My eyes wandered from Benjamin over to the other row of cages. I wouldn’t even say there were people inside because to me, they looked nothing like us. For one thing, their hair was messy, but all looked similar in style. Close to dreadlocks but not fully. Their eyes were wild, their hands were claws and their teeth…like a sharks. All of them, every single one, looked the same, only difference was hair colour and rags around their bodies. They stared at us, lustfully almost. My mind asked if we were maybe food to these…things, but Benjamin interrupted my trial of thoughts.  
“It’s best if you don’t stare at them for too long my lady” he said, forcing me to look at him again.  
“What…what are they?” I stammered, everything sinking in so slowly.  
“Demons I think, none of us are too sure” he said “you look exhausted, sleep. This is the only time we get to sleep. Just, please, when they take you for you initiation tomorrow, avoid them” he said gesturing to the demons “for as long as you can. Good night Annalette”  
He turned away from me and curled up on his straw pile to sleep. Fear was really digging into me now, my body started to shake and tears welled up in my eyes. What was going to happen to me? What was this initiation tomorrow? I lay down on my straw pile, trying to calm myself, but it was no good, the tears flowed and flowed until I finally slept.

It didn’t feel like long until someone dragged me out of my little cage and to an arena of some sort. I blinked my eyes quickly, trying to adjust to the brighter light. I looked round and saw three young men standing at the sides behind a fence. They were studying me, talking amongst themselves. I could barely hear what they were saying.  
“Don’t think she will last long to be honest” the Ginger haired one said.  
“I have faith, she looks head strong, for one thing she hasn’t broken down in her cage yet, not like some of the women we get” the black haired one replied, clearly the leader.  
“Fine, let’s send in the first one” Ginger said, gesturing to someone behind me. I stared at the black haired man and he stared back. It was only the noise of a gate opening behind me that broke our trance. I turned to see one of those demons heaving and practically drooling at me.  
‘Avoid them’ was all that came into my head, similar to what Benjamin had said to me last night, or before we slept. I’m sure we had no concept of day or night anymore.  
The thing stared and stared and stared, but didn’t move. I knew better than to go to him so I backed towards the fence, getting as much distance between me and him as I could. He still didn’t move, not until Ginger clicked his fingers. That’s when it all went wrong. The demon lunged at me at incredible speed, pinning me to the fence. His breathe was utterly foul but those teeth I could tell were razor sharp. I tried my best to get him off but it was like he had turned to stone with his strength. Nothing could move him. I didn’t scream, I don’t think I could have even if I wanted to. I thought it was all over when I heard another finger click from Ginger and the demon released me.   
I gasped for breath heavily as I was dragged back to my cage.  
This too and fro went on for several days. Hardly any food, sleep and nothing to wash with. Benjamin quickly became my good friend. We talked and told stories, escaping from the Hell in which we were in. However, my worry of him surviving much longer was ever growing. He was skinnier by the day but he always kept a smile on his face. We discussed on the possibility of our loved ones trying to find us, but quickly dismissed it. I didn’t want my family to know about this place or what they were doing to me. I would rather have them believe I had just vanished, and Benjamin agreed.   
It wasn’t until my tenth ‘fight test’ that I worked out what was going on. Benjamin wasn’t in his cage when I returned, battered and bruised more than usual. I wasn’t worried then but after a few hours I did begin to believe he hadn’t made it through the night. Every noise kept me awake, wondering if it was Benjamin returning to me, it wasn’t. This went on all the time we had to sleep and I’m sure I was a nervous wreck when he did return. Thing is, he wasn’t him anymore. He was one of them. His teeth were now sharp, eyes dark, his hands tied behind his back. They locked him up in the cage opposite me and I stared, tears beginning to form.  
“Benjamin?” I asked gently. He looked up at his name.  
“Yes?” he hissed.  
“What happened? Why are you…like that?” I asked, desperate to know the truth.  
“I lost, they changed me” he said, curling away from me. He wasn’t like the rest, completely wild and well, feral. He was still him deep down.  
“Talk to me Benjamin” I pushed more.  
“Annalette, don’t, please, I want you to survive this. I know you can if you just stay away from us” he said, almost growling “We’re not demons, we’re vampires”


	2. Chapter 2

Annalette POV  
I must have been staring at Benjamin for ages, or at least, it felt like ages.  
“Vampires? What…what’s a vampire?” I asked. Bram Stoker hadn’t written his book Dracula yet, and for one thing, my parent’s always made sure I didn’t hear about such things as I was growing up. I had never heard of a vampire before.  
“A vampire, that’s what they call themselves” he explained “this place, it’s where those three make us fight humans to the death, for sport”  
“But, I haven’t fought properly” I said.  
“Not yet, you’ll soon have an audience, just waiting for one of us to change you” he sighed heavily “it’s only a matter of time before I lose my mind Annalette, they all do in the end”  
“No, you have a good heart Benjamin, you can fight this!” I said, I wasn’t going to lose my friend, I just refused.  
“I can’t, I know I can’t” he turned away and curled up on his pile of straw.  
“Benjamin, please” I begged him to look at me.  
“No Annalette, we can’t be friends anymore” tears formed in my eyes again as I moved away from the bars and onto my own straw pile.  
Vampires. What on earth were they? I soon found out in my next ‘fight’. I was running from corner to corner as fast as I could but the vamp just kept grabbing me. Their speed was incredible and usually at this point Ginger would stop the fight, not this time. This time, the vamp wrestled me to the ground, cracking a few ribs while he was at it, snarling. Those teeth, just like the old mans. Were they the same creature? Both a vampire? But how? He had been so controlled, his eyes weren’t nearly as wild as this ones. His teeth were soon puncturing my neck. I screamed and that was the point Ginger stopped it. The vamp was ripped off me and taken away. I clutched at my neck, blood pooling out of me.  
It wasn’t long until the black haired leader came in and knelt next to me. He lifted my head up with his longer finger and smiled.  
“I think you’re ready” he said, looking at my neck bite “we’ll get that healed, not your time to change just yet my dear”  
“I’m not going to change” I objected.  
“No, not yet” he leant down and licked over the bite, moaning gently “fresh blood, always missed that, but comes with the job I suppose”  
“What are you?” I asked, I wanted to know and I didn’t care if I would never sleep again, I had to know.  
“Vampire, blood drinker, the perfect predator” he smiled proudly.  
“And those things that attack me?” they had to be different creatures.  
“Also vampires, but they’re more feral ones. They only last a couple of months at most before they snap and kill themselves, nasty end but they can’t be allowed to live in this world” he explained “don’t think the others would be too pleased about this establishment but, that’s our little secret”  
“Others?” I asked.  
“Oh yes, there’s a few of us, we don’t get one with them but, they’re just so dull” He stood slowly and turned to Ginger. “Think this one is ready for tomorrow’s performance”  
“You think?” Ginger asked. The black haired man left me in the corner and exited the cage.  
“I know it, she runs for long enough to make it entertaining, but it ends in just the way they want” I could hear the smile in his voice as the three of them left.  
I was eventually taken back to my own little cage, given some proper water for once and a bigger meal than usual. My guess was that this was my last supper. I was either going to die tomorrow or become one of them. Neither sounded fun, but I would rather die than anything else.  
That night, I cried myself to sleep. I dreamt of my family, my little brother and sister, my mother and father. I wondered if they were looking for me. Naturally, I hoped they were but I knew they would never find me. I dreamt sweet dreams for the last time when I was woken by Ginger banging on my cage.  
“Time to go, the people are waiting” he said, opening the bars up and dragging me out. This was it, my time was up.  
I’m almost certain my mind had begun to shut itself down at that point as I don’t remember much after that. I remember flashes of people screaming and cheering from outside the arena. Pain, I couldn’t forget the pain. And Benjamin, I knew who had changed me that night. They had chosen Benjamin to be the one to change me. The whole fight was a complete blur other than those main points.   
While I lay in my new cage, hearing every sound and it slowly driving me crazy, I did begin to remember something else. Or rather someone else during my last moments as being human. A woman. She was tall, beautiful and gorgeous white hair, shadowed by an even taller man with deep, black hair. They were staring at me, studying me. Something drew me to them, I’m sure what, but my gut was insisting. I sat up slowly as the memories faded and I heard screaming coming from down the corridor. I also felt heat, a very intense heat. Even though this was nowhere near where I was, I heard everything, every scream, every footstep, every heart beat in panic. I sniffed and immediately smelt smoke. The place was on fire!   
People ran straight past me, letting out others on their way but ignoring the vamps. I didn’t blame them. We were human anymore. I wanted to die and if this was the only way, so be it. I sat back, waiting for the flames to catch up with the people who had escaped, but the only thing that came to me was Benjamin. I stared as he ripped my little cage open and pulled me out.  
“You have to go Annalette!” he shouted, pushing me out the exit.  
“Not without you, you deserve to live too!” I shouted back, the flames seriously beginning to engulf the entire building now.  
“No, I’m too far gone now, get yourself to safety, let that kind heart of yours help you survive this change”  
“You have a kind heart too”  
“I don’t my lady, far from it”  
“What do you mean?”  
“We don’t have time, go!” he shouted, pushing me again. I refused. Why did he think he didn’t have a kind heart?  
“Tell me one good reason not to pull you out too!”  
“I killed my family Annalette! I’m murder, that’s why they caught me and brought me here” I stood in shock. My friend, my Benjamin was a killer. He pushed me one more time and I turned and ran.  
I heard the building behind me crash to the ground, killing everyone inside, including Benjamin. I was almost fully out but the ceiling gave way and came down on top of me.  
When I came round, I was lying on a very comfortable sofa. One similar to home. Had I just dreamt all of this? My hope of just a dream were soon dashed as my head pounded with every sound I could hear. I felt the ache in my jaw as my teeth grew sharp and hunger was gradually taking a hold of me. I sat up but was soon pushed back down by the woman with white hair.  
“Take it easy, drink this, it’s good stuff and will calm you down” she said, handing me a small glass of red liquid. Guessing it was some sort of medicine I downed it and my head spun with pleasure. The woman’s hands let me go as I relaxed back on the sofa. She smiled and gave the glass to the man who was with her before.  
Once the pleasure from the red liquid had faded, the woman sat next to me, smiling gently.  
“Feel better?” she asked. Her voice was so calm and collected, it relaxed me even more.  
“Yes, thank you” I managed to reply and she helped me sit up again.  
“I told you Adam, I knew she wasn’t like the rest of that lot” she said to the black haired man who had joined us again.  
“Still Eve, taking in a feral like her, you know it’s dangerous” he warned.  
“But she’s not like those other feral ones, she has heart” she explained.  
“She has a name” I jabbed, completely unlike me.  
“Of course you do sweetie, I’m sorry that’s rude of us, what is your name?” she asked, turning back to me.  
“Annalette” I said.  
“Nice to meet you Annalette, I’m Eve and this is my husband Adam” she introduced them both. Adam nodded in acknowledgment and I did so back.  
“What happened exactly?” I asked.  
“It might be best you get some more rest first” she said, pushing me back down firmly on the sofa again and putting a blanket over me “I’ll explain everything once the sun has gone down again”  
I knew then, I would never see my family again and my life had been changed for eternity.


	3. Chapter 3

It felt like I had slept for years when I finally woke up, but it was still dark outside. I did vaguely remember the Eve woman saying something about the sun going down but my mind was hazy. I slowly opened my eyes and rubbed them gently as I sat up carefully. My head spun slightly and I heard very clear movement in the room next to where I was. I listened and only heard on set of footsteps and I couldn’t hear where the other one was. It sounded light and gentle so I guessed the footsteps belonged to the Eve woman. It was confirmed when she entered the room, smiling at me.  
“Hey, you’re awake finally, I was beginning to worry” she said, pulling a chair up in front of me.  
“Oh?” Was all I could say, my mouth dry. I tried to get some saliva going to help but nothing worked.  
“Have some water, it won’t quench the thirst but it’ll help your mouth sweetie” she said handing me a glass of water.  
“Thanks” I said, sipping it. The woman watched me carefully, as if analysing me. I put the glass down and sat up more. I eyed her back, not saying anything, everything that had happened was only just starting to sink in.  
“How are you feeling?” Eve said, still watching me.  
“Dazed and confused mainly” I replied.  
“I mean physically, do you feel sick?” she asked.  
“No” I said simple.  
“Ok, that’s good, that bit of good blood did you well before you slept”   
“Blood?” I asked. Had she just said that?  
“Yes, I gave you some blood last morning before you slept, Adam has gone out to get some more for us since you’ve now joined our little company” she said with a small smile on her face.  
“I drank blood?!” I asked again, the horror sinking in with everything else, making my head hurt “my head hurts”  
“OK, just take some slow deep breaths Anna, you need to calm down”  
But I just couldn’t, I hated being called Anna and I could remember the fire, Benjamin giving his life up for me, being changed into a monster, and now drinking blood?! What the hell was happening to me? I growled something that I didn’t recognise to be me.  
“Don’t call me Anna! It’s Annalette” I said, snarling at Eve who was still trying to calm me down.  
All I felt was rage. My head spun like mad as I stood and lunged at Eve. I couldn’t even help it, I would never normally act like this! I almost had her when I was suddenly shoved against the wall, a very large and strong hand around my neck.  
“Adam!” Eve shouted firmly.  
“She lunged at you Eve! That’s how they start!” he said, growling at me. So he stopped me in my tracks. I knew I was thankful to him, I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just…I couldn’t help what I did.  
“I think I’d be upset at little things if I had gone through what she’s been through my love” she explained.  
“We can’t look after her Eve, if she’s ready to do this, who knows what she’ll do when I’m not here” he said, still gripping my throat tightly.  
Eve sighed heavily and made her way over to Adam, lightly placing her hand on his arm.  
“My love, for one thing I can look after myself, you know this” he looked at her “and secondly, look at her eyes” he did, he stared at me. At this point I had calmed down and I began to fully regret what I did. These people had took me in, let me sleep and rest in what I guessed was their home. You don’t treat people like this when they give you their hospitality so freely. Adam had stared at me for a good minute or so before he released my throat and I collapsed to the floor.   
I coughed “I’m sorry, I really didn’t mean it, I was just so angry” I tried to explain but Eve cut me off.  
“Sweetie, being a feral vampire does that to you, you were changed in rage and fear, that’s all you’re going to feel unless you let me help you” she said kindly.  
She wanted to help me? Me? A pure depiction of a monster? I saw nothing but kindness in her eyes when I finally looked up at her. I sighed, I knew I’d never be the same again, I knew I had to change and I knew I was going to need help.  
“Ok, but I have questions” I said, as she helped me to my feet, Adam always on the watch.  
“Of course you do, but first, I think we need to find a new name for you, Annalette is a beautiful name, don’t get me wrong. But, your new life means people can’t know you or they’ll begin to suspect” she explained.  
“Vampires live for an incredible long time you see, and since you clearly have stature to your name it’s best” Adam chimed in “but ferals don’t usually live long so”  
“SO!” Eve interrupted “that’s why we’re here, feral vamps are born, like I said, out of hate, rage, fear, or even vengeance, that’s you. The main reason why they don’t live very long is because they get so angry with themselves they take their own life. Others are humans get a hold of them, or even one of us if they’re getting too bad”  
“You kill them?” I asked.  
“If they’re bad, yes, there are less nowadays though” she said calmly.  
“Much less, but I heard about this new cock fighting style place for newly changed vamps and we had to bring it to a halt” Adam joined in again.  
“So I was made for entertainment? I’m guessing the three guys I saw were behind it” I asked.  
“Yes, we’ve been trying to track them down, me and a very good friend of mine, but unfortunately, we haven’t caught up with them. This is the closest we’ve ever been” Eve said, sitting me back down but this time, sitting next to me.  
“I started the fire, we meant to just burn everything but then you turned up and Eve couldn’t say no” Adam said, slightly cold like. Every time he pushed me down like that, the more I wanted to prove to him I wasn’t going to act like I did ever again. I wanted to be good, be as close to who I used to be as I could. If anything, he was the one who kept driving me forward in the right direction. Sure, Eve had a huge part too, but Adam was the one who showed me what I could become if I didn’t go down the right path.  
“Ok, we’ve established that I’m feral and clearly dangerous, what else makes me different to you?” I asked.  
“Not much my dear, you may get a bit more hungry than we do” she said.  
“For blood?” I shivered slightly.  
“For blood yes, vampires drink blood I’m afraid” she said.  
“But you have to be careful, the zombies out there tend to enjoy destroying their own bodies, drink bad blood, you’re a goner too” Adam warned.  
I nodded in understanding.  
“We’ll teach you how to get contacts in getting blood, don’t worry” Eve smiled “in other aspects, I think you’ll find them yourself. We’ve never come in contact with a feral to study them so closely. Not to say you’re a study to us dear, just”  
“I know, I get where you’re coming from” I replied.  
“Good, now, let’s get a nice new name sorted yeah? Then it might be best we skip town, together” Eve said, turning to Adam who nodded in agreement.  
“Autumn” I said.  
“Autumn?” Eve asked.  
“I’ve always liked that season, I guess it could be a nice name too” I suggested. Eve smiled again, and I swear I saw one slowly forming on Adam’s face too.  
“Autumn it is then” Eve said, stroking my thigh reassuringly “nice to meet you Autumn”


End file.
